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Natural World

For 40 years, the BBC’s wildlife documentary series Natural World has shown in-depth stories of incredible animals, featuring award-winning photography in some of the planet’s most extraordinary places. Taking you to remote, exotic and undiscovered locations, the show captures previously unrecorded behavior, remarkable interactions and creatures never seen on film before.
19836 episodesTV-14
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Episodes

  1. S1 E1 - Empire of the Desert Ants
    October 29, 1983
    49min
    TV-14
    Against the backdrop of the Chiricahua Mountains in southern Arizona, this remarkable wildlife documentary takes an in-your-face look at the violent world of desert honey ants by charting the fate of a single colony. Over several years, they battle all-comers for survival and dominance over the small patch of desert that is their world. This is a story of murder, cannibalism and genocide.
    Free trial of BBC Select
  2. S1 E2 - Forest Elephants: Rumbles in the Jungle
    October 29, 1983
    50min
    TV-14
    Deep in the rainforest of Central Africa lies an elephant oasis. This remarkable location holds the key to the future for forest elephants. This fascinating wildlife documentary looks at the lives of these enigmatic giants, unraveling the secrets of their complex social lives and the meanings of their unique vocalizations, using new acoustic research. Can it help these iconic animals survive?
    Free trial of BBC Select
  3. S1 E3 - Humpback Whales: A Detective Story
    October 29, 1983
    59min
    TV-14
    In 2015, a 30-ton humpback whale breached and landed on Tom Mustill’s kayak in Monterey Bay, California. Incredibly he survived the incident, but the near-death experience haunted Tom and left him wondering if the whale was deliberately trying to hurt him. In this intriguing natural history documentary, Tom returns to California to investigate and try to find some answers.
    Free trial of BBC Select
  4. S1 E4 - India's Deadliest Snakes
    October 29, 1983
    49min
    TV-14
    From the giant King Cobra to the tiny saw-scaled viper, India is home to many of the world's deadliest snakes. A report has revealed that the nation is in the middle of a snakebite epidemic of epic proportions, with a loss of human life far in excess of any official figures. This intriguing wildlife documentary sets out to see what can be done to help India's people and, ultimately, its snakes.
    Free trial of BBC Select
  5. S1 E5 - Mountain Lions: Life on the Edge
    October 29, 1983
    51min
    TV-14
    This incredible wildlife documentary narrated by David Attenborough shows mountain lions up-close and in-depth for the first time. Set in Wyoming's spectacular Rocky Mountains, this dramatic story of two mothers struggling to raise their kittens is altering our understanding of these elusive predators, revealing the true nature of North America’s big cat.
    Free trial of BBC Select
  6. S1 E6 - Owls: Behind the Magic
    October 29, 1983
    52min
    TV-14
    With their charismatic faces and extraordinary abilities, owls are one of the planet’s best-loved birds. And yet it's rare to catch more than a glimpse of one in the wild. These mysterious birds haunt our night, floating through the darkness with an eerie silence. But how do they see in the dark and fly so quietly? This astonishing nature documentary reveals the magic behind the owls’ superpowers.
    Free trial of BBC Select

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